Marin History Watch: 'No other heaven' for R.F. O'Rourke

On Feb. 25, 1927, R.F. "Dad" O'Rourke celebrated his 76th birthday atop his beloved Mount Tamalpais at the dedication of a granite bench bearing his name. An avid hiker, O'Rourke was one of the founding members of the Tamalpais Conservation Club and became the first vice president of the Mountain Play Association in 1914 before serving as president from 1917 to 1934. (It was he and two others who happened upon "the perfect setting" for an outdoor theater.) The south-facing bench perched near Rock Spring is inscribed with O'Rourke's words, "Give me these hills and the friends I love, I ask no other heaven." He dubbed this favorite spot "the Edge of the World."

History Watch is provided by the Marin History Museum, www.marinhistory.org, and appears Tuesday in the Generations section. Images included in History Watch are available for purchase by calling 382-0770 or by email at photoservices@marinhistory.org.